For centuries London, one of the largest and richest cities in the world, struggled to supply its citizens with reliable, clean water. The Mercenary River: Private Greed, Public Good: A History of London’s Water by Nick Higham is the story of that struggle from the middle ages to the present day.  A journalist and former BBC correspondent, Nick tells a tale of remarkable technological, scientific and organisational breakthroughs; but also a story of greed and complacency, high finance and low politics.  Incredibly, Chelsea Waterworks was the first in the world to filter the water it supplied its customers: the same technique is still used today to purify two-thirds of London’s drinking water. The talk starts at 7pm.

£5 payable in advance online or on the door